Hen&#39;s nest.



E. A. YOUNG.

HBNS NEST.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1912.

Patented May 6, 1913.

2 SHEETS-8111111121.

E. A. YOUNG.

HENS NEST.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG.13, 1912.

Patented May 6, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Otten/mq s STATES PATENT OFFICE;

EDWIN A. YOUNG, OF LANDER, WYOMING, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DANIEL K. YOUNG, OF LANDER, WYOMING.

HENS NEST.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWIN A. YOUNG, a citizen of `the United States, residing at Lander, in the county of Fremont, State of Vyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hens Nests; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in hens nests.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a nest which may be employed either for laying hens, or as a nest for trapping hens.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a nest box with an entrance opening and a vertically movable nest adapted when lowered by the weight of a hen to raise a door to close the entrance opening and thereby prevent interference from other hens.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nest box of the character described which is provided with a novel means for automatically locking the door in its elevated position, thereby trapping the hen within the box.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a nest of the character described which is extremely simple in construction, 'is positive in operation, and is cheap to manufacture.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that varieus changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope ofthe claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a nest constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a front end eleva` tion showing the parts in their normal positions in full lines and in their operative positions in dotted lines, Fig. 3 is a Vertical longitudinal sectional View therethrough, Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken on the line L /1 of Fig. 3 looking in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 13, 1912.

Patented May 1913.

serial No. 714,899.

the direction indicated by the arrows, Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line (3 6 of Fig. 3, Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the door, and Fig. S is a perspective view of the step.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures in the drawings.

lteferring to the drawings, the invention comprises a nest box which is designated as a whole by the reference letter A. This box includes spaced side walls 5 5, a rear end wall G, a front end wall 7 and a bottom 8. Secured upon said wall is a sectional top which includes a front section 9 and a rear section lO, the former being fixedly connected to the side and front walls and the latter being connected to the front section by any suitable hinges. The forward end of the box is supported by legs 11-11, and the rear end portion of the bottom 8 is formed with a rectangular opening 12.

An egg container B has its rear end disposed below the opening 12, and this container includes a rearwardly and downwardly inclined bottom 13, side walls 14- 14 and front and rear end walls 15 and 16 respectively. The front end wall is connected to the rear edge of the bottom 8 of the box A by hinges 17, and the rear end of the container B projects beyond the rear wall 6 of said box, and is adapted to be closed by a closure 1S which is hingedly connected to the bottom of the rear wall 6 of said box. Carried by the rear ends of the container B are legs 19 19, and these legs coperate with the legs 11 to support the box in its proper position. i

Centrally formed in the lower portion of the front wall 7 of the nest box A is a rectangular entrance opening 20, the upper edge 20 thereof merging with a centrally arranged and upwardly extending slot 21 formed in said front wall. Secured to the inner face of the front wall 7 on either side of the opening 20 are guide flanges 22-22 which conjointly receive a gravity door 23. This door is formed from metal and is of a size to close the opening 20when in its elevated position, the lower edge thereof being outwardly and upwardly bent to form a seat 24k for supporting a weight of any suitable kind. Extending upwardly from the upper edge of the door 23 is an inverted U-shaped frame 25, the connecting portion thereof being centrally formed with an offset 26. The legs 27-27 of this frame are spacedapart a distance suflicient to permit the entrance of a hen.

Secured to the rear top section 10 of the box A and -extending rearwardly thereof and thence downwardlyis a hanger 2S, the lower end thereof being formed with an eye 29. It will thus be observed that the eye 29 is positioned in rear of the center of the box. A longitudinally disposed lever 30 is formed intermediate its ends with an eye 31 for engagement with the eye 29 of the hanger. This lever includes a shortarm 32 and a long arm 33. The long arm extends forwardly and engages under the offset 26 of the U-shaped frame 25 of the gravity door 23. The extreme end of the long arm 33 extends through the slot 21 of the front wall 7 of the nest box A and terminates in an eye 34, and eye bears against the connecting portion of a U-shaped frame 35 which is disposed below the upper edge 2Oa of the opening 20 and has its legs secured to said front wall by solder or other suitable means. This frame constitutes a stop and serves to limit the downward movement of the long arm 33 of the lever, and consequently the downward movement of the gravity door 23. It is to be observed that when the gravity door 23 is in its gravitated position or below the opening 20, the eye 34: of the long arm 33 of the leveris bearing upon the U-shaped frame 35.

A nest 36 is disposed within the box A, and is arranged to register with the opening 12 of the bottom of said box. This nest includes a transversely disposed bail 37, the central portion thereof being loosely connected to the end of the short arm 32 of the lever 30. This nest includes a bottom 38 which is centrally formed with a discharge opening 39 for permitting the egress of eggs from the nest to the egg container B when said nest is elevated.

My invention further comprises a step 4:0 which is preferably formed from sheet metal, and is of rectangular formation. This step is positioned against the front wall 7 of the nest box A, and is disposed in substantially the same plane as the bottom 8 of said box. The inner edge of this step is formed with spaced upstanding flanges t1-#l1 which bear against the front wall 7 on either side of the entrance opening 20. Extending rearwardly from the ends of the step are upwardly inclined supporting rods 42-42 which are detachably engaged in upwardly inclined tubes 4343 carried by the side walls 5-5 of the box A. It will thus be observed that by means of the rods 4t2 and tubes 43, the step 40 is held in a horizontal position in advance of the entrance opening 2O and this step may be readily detached from the tube whenever desired.

Pivotally mounted, as at 4A, upon the front face of the front wall 7 above the slot 21 is a gravity latch 45 which is normally held out of register with the slot 21 by means of a stop 46.

When it is desired to employ the nest for laying purposes only, the latch a5 is supported upon the stop 46. A hen first alights upon the step 40 and thence passes through the entrance opening 20 onto the bottom 8 of the nest box A. As she posit-ions herself upon the nest 36, said nest will gravitate and rock the lever 30 so as to raise the long arng thereof. As a result, the long arm will, by its engagement with the frame 25, elevate the gravity door 23 and thereby close the entrance opening 20. As a result, the nest will be closed within the box against outside interference. Immediately upon the hen leaving the nest 36, the nest will return to its normal or elevated position due to the weight carried by the gravity door 23, this movement of course gravitating the door 23 to its initial position and therebyv permitting the hen to pass out from the nest box A through the opening 20. The egg will pass downwardly through the opening 39 of the bottom thereof, and into the egg g container B. The egg on account of the inclined bottom 13 of the container will roll rearwardly and under the closure 18. By raising the closure 18, the egg or eggs as the case may be, may be readily withdrawn from the container.

When it is desired to use the nest box A as a trap nest, the parts are disposed in their normal positions as above described with the exception of the gravity latch 45. This latch is disengaged from its stop 46, and as a result, the latch will be positioned in register with the slot 21. When a hen to be trapped enters the nest box A and positions herself upon the nest 36, the lever 30 will be M engage the gravity latch 45, and thereby Y lock the door 23 in its elevated or closed position, as is clearly shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

When it is desired to clean the nest 36, the nest box A and egg container B are swung apart upon the hinges 17, as will be readily understood.

What is claimed is :l

1. In a hens nest, the combination with a box including a front wall having an entrance opening formed therein, said wall being further formed with an upwardly extending slot communicating with the opening, of a gravity door normally disposed below the opening, a gravity nest arranged within the box and normally disposed in an elevated position, a lever fulcrumed interllll5 mediate its ends to the box and having one end connected to the nest, the other end projecting through the slot of the -front wall, and an inverted U-shaped :frame connected to the door and engaged with `the last nient-ioned end oit the lever for e.le'\\'ating said door upon descent of the nest.

2. In a hens nest, the combination with a box including a front wall having an entrance opening formed therein, said wall being further 'formed with an upwardly eX- tending slot communicating with the opening, of a gravity door normally disposed below the opening, a gravity nest arranged within the box and normally disposed in an elevated position, a lever fulerumed intermediate its ends to the box and having one end connected to the nest, the other end projecting through the slot o the front wall, an inverted U-shaped traine connected to the door and engaged with the last inentioned end ot the lever for elevating said door upon descent ot the nest, and a stop element secured to the -front wall and ex- (ending across the slot thereof below the lever to liinit the downward movement thereof.

In testimony whereof, l ailix my signature, .in presence ol two witnesses.

EDVIN A. YOUNG.

VVilnesses JOHN J. Srlneos,

leonor: L. BALDwiN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

